Flying Thru The Air With The Greatest Of Ease

It could be you, at Cabo’s new trapeze school

BY: ALEJANDRA SARACHAGA

Cabo’s newest attraction is one that will have you flying through the air with the greatest of ease. That’s right, we now have our very own trapeze school! You can find it on Constituyentes, the street you cross as you head out of Cabo on the fourlane, across from the soccer field. It’s in front of the Cascadas hotel.

Flying Trapeze Cabo is run by Jesus Ayala, who has been flying through the air for 14 years. The trapeze is something that everyone, locals and tourists, young and old (their youngest flier was four, the oldest was 85), can enjoy. The only physical limit is that you have to be able to hold your own weight in your hands and have no back, neck or joint injuries. OK, so that pretty much eliminates most of our creaky old readers, but continue on.

Jesus has flung all types of kids and adults, including people who were blind, deaf or mute, had Down syndrome, autism or some type of affliction. That should tell you how easy it is to get started on the trapeze.

First, the instructor takes you to a trapeze that is low enough to the ground that you can reach it easily by standing on a few foam mats. There, you are taught how to grab the bar, how far apart your arms should be, how to get your knees hooked in the trapeze and the ideal position for swinging.

Then, you are taught how to jump off the platform, which is very easy when you’re on the ground, not so much when you’re up on a small platform that’s 20 feet or so from the ground. A thick belt that has bungee cords attached to it is strapped around your waist in case you fall as you climb the ladder to the platform. Once you’re up, you are unhooked for a split second, then rehooked to the cables so you can fly.

The bar is brought to you, you grab on and then it’s show time. The instructor yells out “Ready,” not to confirm your readiness but as a signal to bend your knees. At the sound of “hup,” off you go! The thrill of swinging through the air is hard to describe, but it’s very empowering, freeing really.

The next move you learn is to hook your knees around the bar. It is very important to follow the instructions; when the instructor tells you to, you have to use your momentum to hook your knees onto the bar. Once you do it, you feel like a pro trapeze artist.

After that, you learn how to let go of the bar and keep your knees hooked while arching your back and extending your arms. The instructors tell you how and when to let go of the bar, which is quite nerve wracking even when you know there is a net underneath to catch you. You have to get this move just right before a trainer will interact with you in the air (you on one trapeze, them on another). Once you have that move down, one of the trainers takes your hands while swinging himself on another trapeze, and then you let go of their hands and fall back onto the net.

The trapeze crew has worked in summer camps, circus schools and hotels. The majority of trainers come from Mexico City. They all speak English, and some speak French, Portuguese and even Italian.

The trapeze school is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with the last class starting at 4:30 p.m. They can stay open later for private parties, if requested. Classes are $75 USD for adults and $26 for children ages four to 10. There is also a 10-class package offered, which ranges from $156 to $209.

If you’ve always fantasized about running away to join the circus, here’s your chance. Go to www.flyingtrapezecabo.com to book a class and fly.